17 - 21

Former Munster No.8 to captain Bulls with Vermeulen rested

09 Jan 2021

(Photo By Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Former Munster back row Arno Botha is set to captain Jake White’s Bulls as they take on the Phakisa Pumas in their final regular-season Carling Currie Cup match at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

Botha takes over the captaincy with Duane Vermeulen earning a well-deserved break as Tim Agaba steps up to the plate at the back of the scrum. Young WJ Steenkamp rounds out the exciting loose trio. Botha left Munster last May after spending two seasons with the Irish province.

The Bulls team sees a host of U21 champions tasting senior rugby for the first time. Dawid Kellerman takes over the inside centre position alongside Marnus Potgieter. Clinton Swart starts at fullback as the utility back continues to show his worth across the backline, while Jade Stighling and Stravino Jacobs continue to patrol the wings. Experienced Springboks, Morné Steyn and Ivan van Zyl resume their successful halfback partnership.

Josh Beaumont talks to Big Jim:

Video Player is loading.

Current Time 0:00

Duration 17:40

Loaded: 0%

Stream Type LIVE

Remaining Time 17:40

Josh Beaumont talks to Big Jim:

Janko Swanepoel will make his first start of the Carling Currie Cup at no.5 lock, after a debut of the bench a few days ago against the Xerox Lions. There’s an all-new and exciting front row in Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Gerhard Steenekamp propping up Joe van Zyl.

The replacements are a mix of experience and youth, with Springboks Lizo Gqoboka and Marcel van der Merwe serving as backup props while Divan Venter, Keagan Johannes and Kabelo Mokoena all looking to earn their debuts.

“This is a great opportunity for us to give some of our exciting youngsters a taste of senior rugby. These boys have done really well on the training field and have been eagerly awaiting their opportunity, and now they get to show what they are made of on the big stage. It’s important that they get up to speed with their senior colleagues while still securing a victory in Nelspruit.” White explained.

Vodacom Bulls: 15. Clinton Swart, 14. Jade Stighling, 13. Marnus Potgieter, 12. Dawid Kellerman, 11. Stravino Jacobs, 10. Morné Steyn, 9. Ivan van Zyl, 8. Tim Agaba, 7. Arno Botha (C), 6. WJ Steenkamp, 5. Janko Swanepoel, 4. Jan Uys, 3. Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 2. Joe van Zyl, 1. Gerhard Steenekamp.

Replacements: 16. Johan Grobbelaar, 17. Lizo Gqoboka, 18. Marcel van der Merwe, 19. Divan Venter, 20. Elrigh Louw, 21. Keagan Johannes, 22. Kabelo Mokoena, 23. Jay-Cee Nel.

Hong Kong SVNS | Day 1

Behind the Scenes with the Australian Rugby Sevens Team in Hong Kong | HSBC SVNS Embedded | Episode 9

The Rise of Kenya | The Report

New Zealand in Hong Kong | Brady Rush | Sevens Wonders | Episode 4

When the referee is put in an impossible position? | Whistle Watch

The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

Boks Office | Episode 38 | Six Nations Round 5 Review

Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

Comments

0 Comments

Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Latest Features

LONG READ

The technical tweaks that could send Wales back to rugby's top table

Even though Matt Sherratt wasn't able to engineer a win, he showed tentative signs of a new Welsh way that could make them more competitive

LONG READ

Alex Masibaka: 'I was on a stag do in Barcelona when Gregor Townsend called'

The Angouleme bulldozer has charted a remarkable voyage from Western Australia to the senior Scotland squad.

LONG READ

‘You feel the interest, that motivates you too’: Guido Petti wooed by Quins' personal touch

The Pumas lock will be living in Twickenham and playing big games there later this year, but wants to leave Bordeaux on a high.

Comments on RugbyPass

Stalle li 35 minutes ago

Hurricanes vs Waratahs takes: The yellow wall in midfield, Tahs backs outshined

My partner and I had always been cautious investors, but like many others, we fell victim to an investment scheme that promised high returns in the cryptocurrency space. The company had a sleek website, a compelling pitch, and even endorsements from supposed financial experts. It all looked legitimate—until it wasn’t. One morning, as I checked our crypto wallet, my stomach dropped. The 350 ETH we had transferred was gone. The platform was suddenly inaccessible, support emails bounced back, and the so-called “investment managers” had disappeared. Panic set in. My partner, Lisa, tried to remain calm, but I could see the worry in her eyes. This was our hard-earned savings, and we had been scammed. Determined not to give up, we scoured the internet for help. That’s when we came across Galaxy Ethical Tech—a company specializing in ethical blockchain investigations and asset recovery. Their reputation was impeccable, and they had successfully helped many people retrieve lost funds from fraudulent crypto schemes. With nothing to lose, we reached out. Galaxy Ethical Tech assigned us a dedicated blockchain forensics expert, Daniel, who listened patiently to our story. He assured us that their technology could trace our stolen Ethereum across multiple wallets, even if the scammers had tried to obscure the transactions. Using advanced blockchain analytics and AI-driven tracing, Daniel and his team mapped out the movement of our ETH. The scammers had funneled the funds through multiple wallets and mixing services, but Galaxy Ethical Tech’s algorithms identified patterns in the transactions. Within 72 hours, they pinpointed where the stolen Ethereum had been consolidated. The next step was enforcement. Galaxy Ethical Tech collaborated with cybercrime authorities and blockchain security networks to freeze the identified wallets. They also leveraged their ethical hacking team to monitor real-time movements and prevent further laundering of the funds.Within two weeks, we received an email that made our hearts race. A significant portion of our 350 ETH had been recovered! Galaxy Ethical Tech coordinated with an exchange compliance team to ensure the funds were returned to our wallet. The relief was overwhelming. We had gone from despair to gratitude, all thanks to the ethical, transparent, and highly skilled approach of Galaxy Ethical Tech. Their AI-powered forensics, legal partnerships, and ethical hacking had saved us from a devastating loss.Today, Lisa and I are more cautious than ever in the crypto space, and we actively educate others on avoiding scams. But if there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s this: when technology is used ethically, it can do wonders—even reclaim what was thought to be lost forever.Galaxy Ethical Tech didn’t just recover our Ethereum. They restored our faith in the power of ethical innovation.contact them via Email: galaxyethicaltech@mail.comWhatsapp: +15072712442Telegram: Galaxy_ethical_tech

3 Go to comments

Stalle li 42 minutes ago

Test rookie Dylan Richardson to make Scotland move

0 Go to comments

YeowNotEven 1 hour ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Would have been awesome to have a Bledisloe ANZAC game.

It would suck if they had it in Perth every year though. Gotta get it to Eden park.

42 Go to comments

David Gomiez 1 hour ago

Mixed Wales update on availability of Josh Adams, Gareth Anscombe

I was the subject of a cryptocurrency heist. Some amount of bitcoin was stolen from my wallet and diverted to an unpermitted account. My wallet management was informed, however, they had me wait a week before responding through email. They didn’t offer any assistance; alternatively, they mentioned that my phone might have been compromised and told me to get in touch with the authorities who couldn't provide any solution to recover my bitcoin. When I was browsing through the internet trying to find a solution to get my stolen bitcoin back, I discovered a team of bitcoin recovery experts called Wizard James Recovery company. I then decided to contact them for assistance in getting my stolen money back. I have nothing but praise for Wizard James Recovery company because they were able to assist me in recovering the money that had been stolen. With the use of their sophisticated tools, Wizard James Recovery was able to determine how the transaction was carried out. I have my money back and I am very thankful to Wizard James Recovery company for their amazing service. If you have any issues related to mine. Kindly contact them via email. (wizardjamesrecovery (@) usa (.) com)

4 Go to comments

Spew_81 1 hour ago

Hurricanes vs Waratahs takes: The yellow wall in midfield, Tahs backs outshined

Love should get some time at 10. He’s clearly got the ability to be a second playmaker, but primarily at 15. Some time at 10, even just standing at first receiver, will only help his playmaking skills. He set up two tries with good distribution.

He kicks goals well. He could be a second B Barrett. But keep his main position at 15.

3 Go to comments

SG 1 hour ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

England have absolutely no need for him. Tom Willis and Ben Earl are better with a much higher work rate.

7 Go to comments

Thomas Walsh 1 hour ago

Super Rugby Pacific's rebirth can finally restore the missing All Blacks edge

I’m a musician, and not long ago, I was scammed out of $12,000 by a fake music streaming service called Streamify Pro. It’s a story I never thought would happen to me, but it did, and I feel it’s important to share it, especially for other artists in the music industry who might be vulnerable to the same scam. I got an email from what seemed like a legitimate music streaming platform, offering me an opportunity to get my music on a huge new service. They promised high visibility, global exposure, and the chance to generate more revenue from streams. It seemed like a dream come true for an independent musician like me, who is always looking for ways to grow my audience. The email looked official, and they even provided testimonials from artists who’d “made it big” by using their service. They had a polished website with all the right buzzwords, making everything look very convincing. They also gave me a “special deal” on their package, offering me placement on their platform for a fee of $12,000. It was a hefty amount, but I thought it was worth the investment, considering the exposure they promised. I transferred the money, but soon after, things started to feel off. My music was never uploaded to their platform. They stopped responding to my emails, and the phone number they gave me went straight to voicemail. I tried to do some research and found that there were no actual reviews or artists talking about the service online. It hit me hard—I had just lost $12,000.That’s when I reached out to ASSET RESCUE SPECIALIST. I was feeling desperate and didn’t know what else to do. They were incredibly responsive and understood exactly what I was going through. They launched an investigation into the scam and worked tirelessly to recover the full amount that I had lost. To my amazement, they were able to recover 100% of the $12,000 I had been scammed out of. Since then, I’ve been recommending ASSET RESCUE SPECIALIST to other musicians. They did what seemed impossible, and their service was absolutely worth it. If you’re a musician or anyone in the creative industry, be cautious about these types of scams. I learned the hard way, but thanks to ASSET RESCUES SPECIALIST, I got all of my money back.DM FOR MORE DETAILS:mail: assetrescuespecialist@qualityservice.comWhatsApp:+ 1 9 0 3 5 5 9 1 7 3 3.support@assetrescuespecialist.com.

19 Go to comments

Virginia Jarrah 2 hours ago

'Right now he is very emotional' - Scotland send veteran home after neck injury

I was drawn into investing by an FX trader I met on Instagram who promised exceptional returns. Enthusiastic about the opportunity, I invested a total of $73,000 over five weeks. However, whenever I tried to withdraw my earnings, they kept inventing excuses related to additional fees and taxes. Frustrated and feeling trapped, I eventually realized I had been scammed. During my search for help, I found a post about BOTNET CRYPTO RECOVERY, a company specializing in recovering lost funds from fraudulent schemes. Initially hesitant, I took the chance and contacted them. After sharing my transaction details, I was surprised to receive $73,000 back into my wallet within just seven hours. I’m incredibly grateful to BOTNET CRYPTO RECOVERY for their professional and effective service. If you’re in a similar situation, I highly recommend reaching out to them for help.

Contact them with the information below.

( botnet crypto recovery @ groupmail . c o m )

webssite on - www.botcryptorecovery.com

0 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

'Ulster, though no one wants to admit it, isn't much more than a development province right now.'

No full games on the IRU YT channel unfortunately, all on subscription? Looks a fairly good level (1A).

Yes I mean I wouldn’t really know the local ratio of origin here, but certainly as a province with less resources mine has a ratio that veers heavily towards club rep. The club stories are often the best so get probably an imbalanced proportion of coverage to where most players actually come from though.

Those were a couple of Ulster (regional) clubs too, good good. Those clubs/size towns are very much where you find most talent coming from (compared to the big city), so your productivity depends very much on your systems in place for scouting talent. With the more wealthy and popular sport of NRL (hence more info out there) I’ve seen some interesting studies on player origins in this respect, which I think would be a very balanced base of data to draw conclusions from.

Yes I’m wondering how those names as examples compare to the likes of Bryne getting squeezed out for a lack of places. I’m only thinking of effects far down the line as a result of Irelands #1 ranking and increased publicity/interest and how Irelands system will take advantage of them.

47 Go to comments

GP 2 hours ago

James O'Connor earns first Crusaders start against Moana Pasifika

Regarding the Crusaders side . Great to see promising young lock Jamie Hannah back in the starting team. He has certainly been through the mill since debuting for the Crusaders, even before playing for Canterbury. All his hard work has paid off. Antonio Shalfoon , who has been rested for this match has been amazing locking with AB captain Scott Barrett. I really rate Jamie Hannah as one of the best young locks of which there are a few coming through. Including his Canterbury and Crusaders team mate Liam Jack. Father is Graham Jack ,he played for Canterbury and the Crusaders in the 1990’s. Older brother of Chris, who of course was an All Black.

4 Go to comments

Andrew Nichols 2 hours ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Gloucester are in the market for a top-class replacement ..Well why would they then be talking to HS?

7 Go to comments

Utiku Old Boy 2 hours ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

I include Cunningham-South. He was born in England but moved to NZ at 4 yrs and learnt his rugby there. His dad was a schoolboy coach. In recent years, Teimana Harrison was - as was Brad Shields.

7 Go to comments

GB 2 hours ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Cunningham-South was born in the UK but raised in NZ.

Makes a good point, wouldn't walk into the English set up.

Better to roll his sleeves up and play himself into the ABs

7 Go to comments

Spew_81 2 hours ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Not sure what the ethical issue is. If it’s going for the money, it’s either do that or NZ rugby slowly dies as all the better players leave. So it’s the more lesser of two evils. Sell out a bit more as a Union, or the players sell out one by one.

42 Go to comments

Spew_81 2 hours ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Yes, the team was similar. But the two locks made a huge difference. Kaino wasn’t a lock and Tuipolutu has only very recently started playing close to his potential (his work rate was terrible until recently).

The Irish lineout maul wouldn’t have been the weapon it was on that day if Hansen started Whitelock and Retallick (or even two proper locks). Though they wouldn’t have been guaranteed to win.

Doing the new haka when the Irish were mourning a great of theirs didn’t help. The action at the end of that haka has been interpreted negatively and some see it as a but disrespectful.

Still if the All Blacks did their normal haka they wouldn’t have been guaranteed to win.

42 Go to comments

Koro Teeps 2 hours ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Absolutely no certainty he would make the current English squad. He’s not in the All Black conversation either. Physical, explosive player with ball in hand but sometimes struggles to impose himself fully on all aspects of the game.

7 Go to comments

DC 2 hours ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Who are the Kiwis (plural)? The only one I can think of is Ethan Root.

7 Go to comments

Gradier Walter 4 hours ago

Don't get out over your skis on the Highlanders

One afternoon, while browsing LinkedIn, I spotted a post raving about MAESTRO ENCRYPTER FINANCIER’s crypt0 recovery skills. I skimmed it, shrugged, and moved on, never dreaming I’d need them. Months later, disaster struck. I tried migrating my wallet, thinking it was a breeze. It wasn’t. The process flopped, locking me out of $350,000. Panic hit hard. My heart pounded as I fumbled with recovery options, getting nowhere. After hours of frustration, that LinkedIn post flashed back to me. Desperate, I tracked it down, contacted MAESTRO ENCRYPTER FINANCIER, and crossed my fingers. Their team swooped in like pros. They calmed my nerves and tackled the mess with precision. Step by step, they unraveled the chaos I’d created. In just days, my wallet was back—$350,000 intact. Relief flooded me; I’d gone from terror to triumph. Stunned by their wizardry, I posted my own LinkedIn shoutout, thanking them for saving my financial bacon. Here’s my takeaway: don’t skip backups, You can reach them via: maestroencrypter @ financier . com or rather +1 472 203 8937 and keep MAESTRO ENCRYPTER FINANCIER’s number handy. They turned my nightmare into a win, and I’d buy them a round if I could. From skeptic to believer, I’m proof their service.

4 Go to comments

JE 4 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Well, at least France do not have to supply players to the Lions. On the other hand, apart from England going to Argentina, Ireland’s, Scotland’s and Wales’ tours are less challenging than France’s. I wonder what SA are doing this Summer?!

103 Go to comments

Utiku Old Boy 5 hours ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

English loose forward stocks are pretty healthy currently and already feature a kiwi or two. A move to the UK would have to be for the Premiership on its own merits - with no better odds for international honors - and would close the door on any further possible AB future. Increased work rate, motivation, energy combined with his obvious skills could see him back in contention in NZ but it is not going to be handed to him.

7 Go to comments

TRENDING

TRENDING Aaron Smith and ‘three or four other All Blacks’ keen to play for AUNZ XV Aaron Smith and ‘three or four other All Blacks’ keen to play for AUNZ

Racing 92 star Junior Kpoku may have route back to English rugby

The technical tweaks that could send Wales back to rugby's top table

Select Edition

Former Munster No.8 to captain Bulls with Vermeulen rested

Josh Beaumont talks to Big Jim:

Josh Beaumont talks to Big Jim:

Hong Kong SVNS | Day 1

Behind the Scenes with the Australian Rugby Sevens Team in Hong Kong | HSBC SVNS Embedded | Episode 9

The Rise of Kenya | The Report

New Zealand in Hong Kong | Brady Rush | Sevens Wonders | Episode 4

When the referee is put in an impossible position? | Whistle Watch

The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

Boks Office | Episode 38 | Six Nations Round 5 Review

Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

Trending on RugbyPass

Leinster roll out 6'10, 138kg giant against Sharks but 2 superstars missing

Leinster eye up Springbok to replace Jordie Barrett

Lawes' bold Lions statement after Farrell breathes new life into hopes

The impact Townsend will have on Lions despite missing Farrell's team

Leicester lose out on first-choice Michael Cheika replacement

Aaron Smith and ‘three or four other All Blacks’ keen to play for AUNZ XV

USA make decision on Ilona Maher as they name player pool

Andy Farrell drafts 75-man Lions squad with blunt message to players

Comments

Latest Features

The technical tweaks that could send Wales back to rugby's top table

Alex Masibaka: 'I was on a stag do in Barcelona when Gregor Townsend called'

‘You feel the interest, that motivates you too’: Guido Petti wooed by Quins' personal touch

Comments on RugbyPass